Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547436
Architecture & Design | 25 P Perched above an 18th-century kerreja in the historic city of Bormla, Malta, Blue Room explores how adaptive reuse, bespoke joinery and colour can redefine compact urban living. Designed by studio NiCHE., the project occupies what was once an exposed rooftop laundry belonging to the historic building. Open to the elements, the space consisted of little more than two masonry walls, washing lines and uninterrupted views across Valletta, Dock One and the surrounding church domes. Rather than expanding the building, the intervention completes an overlooked fragment of its history, transforming an abandoned rooftop into a contemporary home while carefully respecting the scale, materiality and character of its historic context. Located within one of Malta's renowned Three Cities, Bormla is characterised by centuries of maritime history, limestone architecture and fortified streetscapes. The project responds directly to this context, allowing the surrounding landscape to inform both its spatial planning and material palette. Conceived as a calm yet playful sanctuary, the apartment explores how compact living can become an emotional experience rather than simply a functional exercise. Instead of relying on physical size to create generosity, the design is organised around two principal visual axes that continually reconnect the occupant with the city beyond. One extends towards the terrace, strengthening the relationship between the interior and the Mediterranean landscape, while the other draws the eye through the apartment towards the skyline, visually elongating the compact floor plan. D e s i g n S t u d i o : S t u d i o N i C H E L e a d D e s i g n e r : M a r t i n a F e n e c h A d a m i L o c a t i o n : B o r m l a ( C o s p i c u a ) , M a l t a P h o t o g r a p h y : R a m o n P o r t e l l i